The president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, accused this Friday (24.06.2022) the main indigenous leader and president of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE), Leónidas Iza, of trying to overthrow the Government through the national strike and the violent social protests that are already twelve days old.
“The real intention of the violent is to generate a coup d’état,” the president reproached on Friday, after the death of three protesters in a failed break-in congress.
This Friday thousands of indigenous people again clashed with the public force. Sirens and detonations sounded as demonstrators with artisanal shields erected barricades and lit tires. To the demonstrators’ petrol bombs, pyrotechnic rockets and stones, riot gear responded with tear gas and stun grenades.
Message to the nation of Lasso
The Ecuadorian president sent a message to the nation in which he referred to the violent clashes registered in recent days, especially in the last two days, in several parts of the country, including the capital, Quito.
According to Lasso, the violent incidents, added to Iza’s position, make it clear that the indigenous collective seeks no other end than “the overthrow of the government.”
“This makes it clear to us that he never wanted to solve an agenda for the benefit of indigenous peoples and nationalities; all it sought was to deceive its rank and file and usurp the legally constituted government. Mr Iza can no longer control the situation. The violence perpetrated by infiltrated criminals got out of hand,” the president lamented.
On Friday, violence reached the doors of Congress. The demonstrators attacked with stones and rockets of fireworks from different points towards the seat of the Parliament, which was defended by the public forces firing tear gas bombs.
“They have unmasked themselves. They don’t want to talk. They don’t want to agree. They don’t want the country to reactivate. They don’t want peace. So far the only thing they have shown is that they want violence,” Interior Minister Francisco Jimenez said in an interview with FM Mundo after clashes outside Congress.
Government threatens to use force
In this context, Lasso joined the statements of his Minister of the Interior, Patricio Carrillo, who reported that the Ecuadorian Police and military will use force “when they deem it necessary” to defend “public order and democracy” of the South American country.
Likewise, Carrillo asked the indigenous demonstrators who have moved to Quito in recent days to return to their communities “for their safety,” alluding to the fact that the “people against the people” cannot be allowed to face.
The country is mired in a national strike called by CONAIE and other social organizations due to the high cost of living. In the context of the protests, the death of at least five people has already been confirmed.
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